[How-To] Root LG Optimus S

[sfhub]

I see instructions on differnt root methods, 1 if you updated to VC via OTA or 2 if u updated to VC using LG software. What if the phone came from sprint with VC on it, which method do you suggest? revert or whaaa. Thanks in advance.

The rooting part is the same for the first and second methods. The main difference in the first method is you need to revert to V9, install the stock V9 recovery, then update to VC using LG software. After that, both methods are the same.

Now if your phone came with VC, you could be in two situations.

1) old LCD hardware, but Sprint updated you to VC - in this case, you can just revert to V9

2) new LCD hardware, phone came from LG with VC - in this case, you can also revert, but it will be more difficult because V9 doesn't have the drivers for the new LCD so your screen will be blank even though your phone is functioning. You'll have to do some of the steps a little bit blind (the touchscreen still works)

Instructions for the first are in my signature. For the second case, there is kind of an outline for what to do in the RED warning #2 section in my signature.

 

[mercrapper]

2) new LCD hardware, phone came from LG with VC - in this case, you can also revert, but it will be more difficult because V9 doesn't have the drivers for the new LCD so your screen will be blank even though your phone is functioning. You'll have to do some of the steps a little bit blind (the touchscreen still works)

Instructions for the first are in my signature. For the second case, there is kind of an outline for what to do in the RED warning #2 section in my signature.

I wish you posed this earlier. I just went through hell figuring this out. I am new to the LG Optimus S, but have been on an HTC Hero for almost 2 years.

I tried following these rooting instructions all morning and no go. Then I read that ZVC can't be rooted, so we have to downgrade to ZV9, so I followed the instructions here here

After complete the flash to ZV9, my screen when blank. I could hear the phone starting and it would respond to my touches, but I just couldn't see anything. After panicking for a minute, I turned to google. Found somewhere that mentions that the new version of the LS670 display had changed and older version of the rom did not have the proper drivers, so it started to make a little more sense. Next i downloaded the ZVC version and flashed that. Normal boot started working again, but recovery was still blank. It took me a while to figure out that the ZV9 version of recovery had the same display problems.

Once I figured that out, I was able to complete the rooting instructions (half blind). Now I just have to find a custom recovery that will work. I'm going to try Clockwork and see how that goes. If that works, then I flashing AOSP's GB with CM7. Cross your fingers.

Thanks for these awesome tutorials.

EDIT : Clockwork 3.0.0.6 works. Display works great. You can get it here
http://romrepo.info/wiki/index.php?title=Flash_the_ClockworkMod_Recovery

Use the Home Button instead of the Menu Button

 

[sfhub]

Glad you got it partially working. Keep us updated on your experiences so it will help others.

BTW the link you referenced with the revert to V9 instructions has had a RED warning #2 that mentions the LCD issue for a few days now. It was first reported 2-3 days ago so you are experiencing a relatively new issue.

I think a lot of people come from other platforms where rooting has been very established and stable for a long time. That used to be the way it was for the Optimus S too, but Sprint/LG recently threw 2 curveballs at us, which is why it feels so immature.

We got the VC update that patched both common exploits rage and psneuter.

We also got a new LCD hardware that requires drivers that don't exist on older OSs and Recoveries making the screen totally blank.

Both these gifts happened relatively recently so that is why everything seems to be in flux.

We also don't have fastboot on LG (or at least recent versions of the LG software) so we have more limited flashing options.

 

[Bubbapillz]

Hey, i keep getting Error: Device not found. Im assuming this means my phone and i dont know what to do about it

 

[sfhub]

Hey, i keep getting Error: Device not found. Im assuming this means my phone and i dont know what to do about it

If your unit has been updated to version VC via OTA, you need to follow a different set of instructions.

http://forum.androidcentral.com/lg-...-guide-rooting-software-version-ls670zvc.html

 

[i mow grass]

I have downgraded to the V9, now I am trying to root it so I can recover the Stock V9 Recovery so I can upgrade to VC and root. Is all that correct? Or am I just completly confused, I have followed these instructions 3 or 4 times and still get no root access


Please Help

 

[sfhub]

I have downgraded to the V9, now I am trying to root it so I can recover the Stock V9 Recovery so I can upgrade to VC and root. Is all that correct? Or am I just completly confused, I have followed these instructions 3 or 4 times and still get no root access


Please Help

Yes that is correct, but you might want to start following the root VD thread.

Rage can take multiple attempts before it strikes gold.

 

[enjefco]

is there a fix since the 2/7/11 release from sprint? I just got the Optimus

 

[KSmithInNY]

is there a fix since the 2/7/11 release from sprint? I just got the Optimus

The sticky in this section

http://forum.androidcentral.com/lg-...-guide-rooting-software-version-ls670zvd.html

 

[enjefco]

Is there an updated process to this. I just purchased and have version VC. Im also using a mac. Should I go through the steps and then pick up on "Rooting the LG Optimus S with software version LS670ZVD" post, or is there another route? If I should proceed with "Rooting the LG Optimus S with software version LS670ZVD" is there a mac version

 

[vankirk88]

how many times should I continue to try before it's obvious fail on my end? I mean, i've been at this at least a good half dozen times with no luck.

 

[sfhub]

how many times should I continue to try before it's obvious fail on my end? I mean, i've been at this at least a good half dozen times with no luck.

Everyone has their own pain tolerance levels

Which step is getting you?

 

[jrockrockon]

I wish you posed this earlier. I just went through hell figuring this out. I am new to the LG Optimus S, but have been on an HTC Hero for almost 2 years.

I tried following these rooting instructions all morning and no go. Then I read that ZVC can't be rooted, so we have to downgrade to ZV9, so I followed the instructions here here

After complete the flash to ZV9, my screen when blank. I could hear the phone starting and it would respond to my touches, but I just couldn't see anything. After panicking for a minute, I turned to google. Found somewhere that mentions that the new version of the LS670 display had changed and older version of the rom did not have the proper drivers, so it started to make a little more sense. Next i downloaded the ZVC version and flashed that. Normal boot started working again, but recovery was still blank. It took me a while to figure out that the ZV9 version of recovery had the same display problems.

Once I figured that out, I was able to complete the rooting instructions (half blind). Now I just have to find a custom recovery that will work. I'm going to try Clockwork and see how that goes. If that works, then I flashing AOSP's GB with CM7. Cross your fingers.

Thanks for these awesome tutorials.

EDIT : Clockwork 3.0.0.6 works. Display works great. You can get it here
Flash the ClockworkMod Recovery - ROMRepo

Use the Home Button instead of the Menu Button

Did you use rageagainstthecage or z4root? I can get my phone back to v9 and I thought I got z4root to work but no dice. I also didn't have any luck with rageagainstthecage on a mac... maybe I should try it on my PC side? Man, what a challenging phone to root.

 

[jrockrockon]

Maybe you rooted once you got it back to VC? If so what method? PC? MAC? Also, what was your method for getting the clockwork recovery mod as your recovery?

 

[pcubed]

Did you use rageagainstthecage or z4root? I can get my phone back to v9 and I thought I got z4root to work but no dice. I also didn't have any luck with rageagainstthecage on a mac... maybe I should try it on my PC side? Man, what a challenging phone to root.

Did you follow the directions for Macs that was on the first post of this thread? I'm on a Mac too and there were parts that were worked for me and parts that didn't. What part were you getting stuck on?

 

[jrockrockon]

I followed them, however, I couldn't copy anything to the system/tmp folder... in fact I couldn't adb push anything to the phone... not even the sd card. And yes, usb debugging was on and install from alternate places was checked also.

 

[pcubed]

I followed them, however, I couldn't copy anything to the system/tmp folder... in fact I couldn't adb push anything to the phone... not even the sd card. And yes, usb debugging was on and install from alternate places was checked also.

Could you get the adb shell to come up? For me, I couldn't get it to come up and I had to add something extra when I type the commands to get it to work.

EDIT: It's been a while and I forgot the details. Looking back at my previous postings, I saw I was able to get the adb shell to come up, but couldn't get anything to work from there.

 

[jrockrockon]

Could you get the adb shell to come up? For me, I couldn't get it to come up and I had to add something extra when I type the commands to get it to work.

I was able to get it to go to shell but nothing past that.

 

[pcubed]

I was able to get it to go to shell but nothing past that.

Can you try it with the commands I posted here and see if you can get anything to go through?

 

[jrockrockon]

Can you try it with the commands I posted here and see if you can get anything to go through?

When I put ./ in front of adb push I get: ./adb: not found. If I put just adb push "etc" I get adbermission Denied. Any ideas? I appreciate your help with this. Maybe it's a permissions thing but I'm administrator on my mac so I don't know what's up with that. Thoughts?